Considerably lowering lead time and rising potential output by greater than 100% are outcomes of PI’s new initiative.
Primarily based on a complete evaluation of the manufacturing processes for hexapods (Stewart Platforms), Physik Instrumente (PI) has tailored its manufacturing capacities to the sharp enhance in demand and is ready to broaden them even additional when required. The main target of the restructuring was the optimization and relocation of PI’s complete “Hexapod” micro-robotics manufacturing space to newly designed premises, in addition to the enlargement of the workforce. These measures are an integral a part of the company-wide funding program with a quantity of near $70 million. The purpose is to capitalize on PI’s above-average development alternatives in markets comparable to Industrial Automation, Semiconductors, Photonics, Microscopy and Life Sciences.
“The demand for hexapod micro- and nano-positioning techniques has been rising considerably for numerous years,” says Markus Spanner, CEO of PI, describing the market state of affairs. “Increasing capability on this product division at PI’s Karlsruhe, Germany web site was subsequently a logical step as a part of our funding program to arrange all PI product divisions for a continued enhance in demand.”
The brand new hexapod manufacturing manufacturing unit structure was developed by PI consultants, with the assist of specialists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA. It takes the most recent findings within the fields of ergonomics, digitalization, and automation, in addition to lean approaches under consideration. “Now we have analyzed all course of steps and optimized and reorganized meeting within the type of matrix manufacturing,” explains Dr. Axel Widenhorn, Director Operations for the PI growth and manufacturing websites in Germany. “Along with an total enhance in manufacturing capacities, our aim was to considerably cut back lead instances. This has been absolutely achieved. Now we have already lowered lead instances to lower than half of what they had been at the start of the 12 months and will likely be down to a couple weeks for normal merchandise by the tip of the 12 months. Moreover, we now have the potential of accelerating the output by greater than 100 %, which is able to enable us to reply flexibly to additional will increase in demand,” provides Dr. Widenhorn.
Hexapods are 6-axis, parallel kinematic movement techniques or micro-robots, with six levels of freedom which are utilized in an rising variety of purposes together with: micro-assembly manufacturing strains, fiber optical alignment, Silicon Photonics wafer probing, digicam testing, satellite tv for pc antenna testing, microscopy, and enormous astronomical telescopes. PI has an intensive portfolio of configurable options of assorted sizes and capabilities for these and lots of different purposes. The redesigned manufacturing unit structure for PI’s hexapod manufacturing was developed based on the most recent ergonomic findings and taking lean ideas under consideration. Consequently, capacities have been considerably elevated whereas lead instances have been shortened on the identical time.
Industries Served Industrial Automation, Semiconductor Manufacturing, Automotive, Silicon Photonics, Quantum Computing, Excessive Decision Microscopy, Life Sciences
About Physik Instrumente (PI Group) The PI Group is the market and expertise chief for high-precision positioning expertise and piezo purposes available in the market segments Industrial Automation, Semiconductor and Photonics, in addition to Microscopy and Life Sciences. In shut cooperation with prospects from everywhere in the world, PI’s greater than 1,500 specialists have been repeatedly pushing the boundaries of what’s technically doable for greater than fifty years. Numerous drive applied sciences, internally developed sensor expertise and electronics, in addition to management and regulation expertise present the idea for this. PI’s portfolio ranges from parts to subsystems, to tailored full options. 508 granted and pending patents underline the corporate’s declare to technological management within the fields of precision positioning and piezo expertise. PI operates on a world scale, with 9 manufacturing websites in North America, Europe, and Asia, in addition to sixteen gross sales and repair subsidiaries.